January 10, 2022
New York, NY (January 10, 2022) --- Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP today announced the addition of partners Melanie James and Tim Baumgartner, who have joined the Firm’s Insurance Transactional and Regulatory Practice. Melanie and Tim are based in Willkie’s London office. They were previously partners at an international law firm, where Melanie also served as Global Co-Chair, Insurance Sector.
“Melanie and Tim are well-established leaders in the market and we are delighted to welcome them to Willkie,” said London Corporate Partner Joseph Ferraro. “With significant experience in complex global insurance matters, they will deepen our insurance and regulatory capabilities, core strengths of the firm, and add to the strength of our prominent London transactional team on UK, EU and international insurance sector matters.”
Prakash (PK) Paran, partner in Willkie’s Insurance Transactional and Regulatory Practice commented: “I’ve practiced alongside Melanie and Tim for many years and I’m thrilled to be working with them again. They are not only extremely talented lawyers, but they are both a pleasure to work with. Their additions will further solidify Willkie’s reputation as having the preeminent global insurance platform in the market and our clients benefit from having access to a seamless transatlantic team of the highest quality that now has even greater breadth and depth.”
Melanie James has over 20 years of experience handling insurance and reinsurance transactional and regulatory matters, both in-house and in private practice. She is an insurance sector leader and advises on all aspects of non-contentious insurance transactions including cross-border M&A, joint ventures, reorganizations, portfolio transfers and reinsurance transactions, as well as structuring, formation and licensing of (re)insurance platforms across Europe and PRA, FCA and Lloyd's regulation.
Tim Baumgartner focuses his practice on corporate transactions in particular in the insurance industry, including international and domestic M&A, joint ventures and long-term strategic partnerships, intra-group restructurings and general corporate advisory work. He also advises on the full spectrum of corporate insurance transactions, which in addition to the above include transactions within the Lloyd’s market, portfolio transfers and reinsurance transactions for both life and non-life businesses.
Melanie commented: “We are excited to join Willkie’s world-class global insurance practice, which has longstanding relationships with key U.S., Bermudan, European and UK insurers and brokers, and look forward to playing a significant part in the firm’s continued growth and success in London.”
The arrival of Melanie and Tim to Willkie’s Insurance Transactional and Regulatory Practice follows the additions in 2021 of New York-based partner PK Paran and counsel Gabriel Gershowitz in October, and partners Kara Baysinger, Stephanie Duchene, Matthew Gaul and David Heales, who joined the team in California and New York in April.
Willkie’s Insurance Transactional and Regulatory Practice is described as the “preeminent transactional practice” with “standout experience,” in Chambers USA (2021) and “commercially pragmatic” with “depth of knowledge and efficiency” in Chambers UK (2021). The group represents insurance companies, reinsurers, insurance intermediaries, insurtechs, investment banks, private equity sponsors and other financial institutions in M&A, capital markets, ILS and regulatory matters in the United States, London, Europe, Asia and Bermuda. Our multidisciplinary team, ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA 2021, Legal 500 US 2021 and Legal 500 UK 2022, comprises over 40 partners and is among the largest in both the United States and in London.
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is an international law firm of approximately 1,000 attorneys with offices in Brussels, Chicago, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, Palo Alto, Paris, Rome, San Francisco and Washington. The Firm is headquartered in New York City at 787 Seventh Avenue.
